Echeveria plant named ‘AMIECH1912’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Echeveria  hybrid plant named ‘AMIECH1912’ which is characterized by broad obovate to spatulate foliage held somewhat loosely in a basal rosette, moderately glossy juvenile foliage, vibrant dark red juvenile foliage that is margined pink, slightly glossy mature foliage, very dark purple mature foliage that is narrowly margined pink, and the stability of these characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus andspecies of the novel variety disclosed herein is Echeveria hybrid.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Echeveria hybriddisclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘AMIECH1912’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rightsapplication number 2019/3324, filed Dec. 6, 2019, which is hereinincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘AMIECH1912’ is a naturally-occurring, spontaneouswhole-plant mutation of Echeveria hybrid ‘AMIECH1604’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 29,312) which was discovered by the inventor in the summer of 2018at a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Themutation was noted for its very dark purple foliage.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar‘AMIECH1912’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated inthe winter of 2018 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse inHeerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Through two subsequent generations, theunique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true totype.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘AMIECH1912’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘AMIECH1912’. These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘AMIECH1912’ as a new and distinct Echeveria hybridcultivar:

-   -   1. ‘AMIECH1912’ exhibits a flattened to flattened globular plant        profile with foliage held somewhat loosely in a basal rosette        which eventually forms a short, unbranched stem with age; and    -   2. ‘AMIECH1912’ exhibits slightly concave, broad obovate to        spatulate foliage with a bluntly apiculate apex; and    -   3. ‘AMIECH1912’ exhibits moderately glossy, lightly glaucescent        juvenile foliage; and    -   4. ‘AMIECH1912’ exhibits greyed-purple juvenile foliage,        generally appearing as a vibrant dark red general coloration        with pink margins; and    -   5. ‘AMIECH1912’ exhibits slightly glossy, lightly glaucescent        mature foliage; and    -   6. ‘AMIECH1912’ exhibits mature foliage that is colored in        between greyed-purple and brown, generally appearing as very        dark purple to nearly black; and    -   7. ‘AMIECH1912’ exhibits mature foliage that is narrowly        margined pink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of‘AMIECH1912’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, theNetherlands. This plant is approximately 8 months old, shown planted inan 12 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliagearrangement of ‘AMIECH1912.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of themature foliage ‘AMIECH1912’.

FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of themature foliage ‘AMIECH1912’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in January of 2020describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 8 months old‘AMIECH1912’ plants grown in 12 cm nursery containers at commercialgreenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Plants were produced usingconventional greenhouse production protocols for Echeveria plants whichconsisted of minimal irrigation and fertilizer applications, andchemical pest and disease control measures against mealy bug andBotrytis as required. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percentshade after propagation and later exposed to full sun once they began tomature. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to theplants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristicswill vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘AMIECH1912’has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety maydiffer from the descriptions set forth herein with variations inenvironmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations arebased on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘AMIECH1912’ and comparisons with the parentplant and closest known comparator are provided below.

-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a            basal rosette, eventually forming a short, unbranched stem            with age.        -   Plant shape.—Flattened to flattened globular.        -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—7.6 cm.        -   Plant spread.—Average of 13.9 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast growing.        -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous.        -   Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting            — Approximately 21 days at 18 degrees Celsius. Crop time —            Approximately 35 weeks to produce a marketable plant in a 7            cm container.        -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither            resistance nor susceptibility to typical Echeveria pests and            diseases has been observed.        -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10            to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;            moderate tolerance to rain yet drought tolerant once            established; high tolerance to wind.-   Root system:    -   -   General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots.-   Stems:    -   -   Branching habit.—Leaves in a basal rosette, eventually            forming a short, unbranched stem with age; no lateral            branching.        -   Quantity of main stems.—1.        -   Main stem dimensions.—4.5 cm long and 1.1 cm in diameter.        -   Internode length.—0.1 cm.        -   Cross section.—Rounded.        -   Aspect.—Nearly vertical.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture and luster.—Glabrous, glaucous, and moderately            glossy.        -   Color, when developing.—Nearest to in between purple and            greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 75D.        -   Color of mature stem.—Greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 186B.        -   Color at internodes.—Greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 186B.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Division.—Simple.        -   Attachment.—Sessile.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 39 leaves per rosette.        -   Shape.—Broad obovate to spatulate.        -   Dimensions.—6.7 cm long, 4.2 cm wide, and 0.5 cm thick, on            average.        -   Aspect.—Slightly to moderately concave.        -   Attitude.—Juvenile foliage at the center of the rosette is            held upward and outward; foliage becomes progressively more            relaxed towards the outer whorls of mature foliage.        -   Apex.—Bluntly apiculate.        -   Base.—Long cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire; not undulate.        -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the adaxial            surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and lightly glaucous. The thin            layer of epicuticular wax is color the same as the            underlying foliage.        -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the abaxial            surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and lightly glaucous. The thin            layer of epicuticular wax is color the same as the            underlying foliage.        -   Luster of the adaxial surface.—Juvenile foliage is            moderately glossy; mature foliage is slightly glossy.        -   Luster of the abaxial surface.—Juvenile foliage is            moderately glossy; mature foliage is slightly glossy.        -   Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Greyed-purple,            nearest to RHS 187A, and fading lighter towards the base,            nearest to RHS 184D; margined greyed-purple, nearest to RHS            185B. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — Greyed-purple,            nearest to RHS 187B, and fading lighter towards the base,            nearest to RHS 184D; margined greyed-purple, nearest to RHS            185B. Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Nearest to in            between greyed-purple and brown, RHS N186C and 200A; fading            to greyed-red towards the base, nearest to RHS 182C, and            suffused with greyed-orange, nearest to RHS 177B; margined            greyed-red, nearest to RHS 178B. Mature foliage, abaxial            surface — Brown, nearest to RHS 200C, and lightly suffused            with greyed-purple, nearest to RHS N186C; fading to            greyed-red towards the base, nearest to RHS 181C, and            suffused with greyed-orange, nearest to RHS 177B; margined            greyed-red, nearest to RHS 178B. Venation, adaxial surface —            Only the main vein of the abaxial surface is visible.            Venation, abaxial surface — Only the main vein is visible;            colored greyed-purple, nearest to a mixture of RHS 183A and            183B.        -   Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile.-   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

Comparisons With the Parent Plant and Closest Known Comparator

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH1912’ differ from the parent,Echeveria hybrid ‘AMIECH1604’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,312), in thefollowing characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘AMIECH1912’ ‘AMIECH1604’ Abundance More abundantthan Less abundant than of foliage. ‘AMIECH1604’. ‘AMIECH1912’. FoliageModerately glossy juvenile All foliage is matte. luster. foliage;slightly glossy mature foliage. General Greyed-purple, generallyGreyed-purple, generally coloration appearing as a vibrant darkappearing as a softer, of the red by comparison to lighter red bycomparison juvenile ‘AMIECH1604’. to ‘AMIECH1912’. foliage. General Inbetween greyed-purple A mixture of greyed-green coloration and brown,generally and yellow green, suffused of the appearing as very dark withgreyed-red. mature purple to nearly black. foliage.

Comparisons With the Closest Known Comparator

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH1912’ differ from the closest knowncommercial comparator, Echeveria hybrid ‘Purple Pearl’ (Community PlantVariety Rights application number 30403), in the followingcharacteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘AMIECH1912’ ‘Purple Pearl’ Foliage Lightlyglaucescent. Moderately to heavily glaucescence. glaucescent. Foliageluster. Moderately glossy juvenile All foliage is matte. foliage;slightly glossy mature foliage. General Greyed-purple, generally Lightpurple, suffused coloration of the appearing as a vibrant dark withpink. juvenile foliage. red by comparison to ‘AMIECH1604’. General Inbetween greyed-purple Olive green, suffused coloration of the and brown,generally with light purple. mature foliage. appearing as very darkpurple to nearly black.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Echeveriahybrid plant named ‘AMIECH1912’, substantially as described andillustrated herein.